April 14, 2002

IN the field of communication, the ‘word’ has been defined as “the tyrannical abstract symbol of knowledge”. In simpler terms, it means that every word carries a meaning, an idea and an action. But one word might have a number of meanings and connotations. It is this multiplicity of ideas attached to one word that gave rise to the concept of listing words in a predetermined pattern and led to the compilation of a dictionary.

From the first attempts by the Greeks in 100 AD to the first English dictionary by Robert Cawdrey in 1604, comprising 3,000 words, to date, the dictionary has emerged as the main source of language description. When the Europeans embarked on their military adventures which led to the colonization of Asia, Africa and Latin America, they felt the need to learn the languages of the natives to rule over them. Hence the need for bilingual dictionaries.

Thus a number of dictionaries were compiled in English, French, Latin, Italian, Spanish and other languages in the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries.

In the subcontinent, the origin of the bilingual (even trilingual) dictionaries goes back to at least three centuries when the British set their foot on the soil as traders but gradually eyed the land with the idea of colonizing it.

The compilation of bilingual dictionaries was, therefore, largely an outcome of British initiative. Besides, the great Urdu-Urdu dictionaries such as Jama-i-Lughaat (1835), and Farhang-i-Asfia (1868), there was John H. Platts’ Urdu-English dictionary, which involved stupendous lexicographical endeavour and was published in 1884. It was a unique publication with a distinct presentation. Many lexicographers of the latter period used its pattern and contents as their model.

Although, Sindh witnessed this kind of literary pursuit early in the day, it attracted the attention of the British after the province was annexed by the colonial power in 1843. After giving Sindhi the status of official language, the rulers made it compulsory for all British officials to pass an examination in that language in a bid to run their administration smoothly. Hence the first English-Sindhi dictionary by Captain George Stack appeared in 1849, followed by a Sindhi-English dictionary in 1855. Then came a number of similar efforts which continued after Independence, which have been briefly mentioned by Abdul Rasheed Memon, the compiler of the dictionary under review.

The present work — The English-English-Sindhi dictionary is a three-volume compilation comprising about 100,000 words — both root words and derivatives — giving their pronunciation in Sindhi and the meanings in both English and Sindhi.

Memon has adopted the Chamber’s Dictionary’s style in selecting words and their derivatives, indicating their grammatical status, explaining their meanings and finally giving an equivalent in Sindhi or the nearest possible synonym. As compared to the previous Sindhi-English or English-Sindhi dictionaries such as that of Parmanad Mevaram’s pre-Independence publication, the effort by Memon is a phenomenal piece of work.

The task of compiling a dictionary presents a challenge — both in terms of scholarship and physical labour. Even the initial work of selecting appropriate words, that is the words that we come across in this part of the world, choosing their derivatives, finding the exact meaning and finally listing the Sindhi connotations, involves colossal effort. The compiler has made the work all the more invaluable by adding appropriate words for some specialized subjects, such as agriculture, fishery, horticulture, geology, etc, for which he had to meet scores of people to determine the synonyms of the terminologies employed in these fields.

Another feature which determines the quality of a dictionary is the grammatical positioning of the root words, as well as the usage and meaning of the derivatives. Although the compiler has put in a lot of intellectual and physical efforts to select and undertake research on 100,000 or so words and phrases, he could have enhanced the utility of his publication by including the etymology of words and, in some cases, the usage of more derivative words and phrases than has been given. This would have helped the users who are not conversant with the cyclopaedic dictionaries. The compiler has chosen not to list the meanings of the words in English, which should have been included.

 

Kifayat’s comprehensive English to English & Sindhi dictionary

Compiled by Abdul Rasheed Memon

Kifayat Academy, Urdu Bazaar, Karachi Tel: 021-221122

Urdu Bazaar, Lahore Tel: 042-7248219

Email: kifayat@cyber.net.pk

Rs2,700

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